The present invention relates to a method of preparing wood and plastic to produce a composite material.
The present invention comprises a method of preparing natural material particles for making a composite material. According to a preferred embodiment the method comprises the steps of logging natural material; grinding logged natural material; screening ground natural material; and grinding screened natural material. In a preferred embodiment, the first grinding step comprises grinding the natural material to a maximum particle dimension of less than approximately 12 inches. In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises a washing step before the second grinding step and/or a drying step before the second grinding step. According to a preferred embodiment, the second grinding step comprises grinding the natural material to a maximum particle size of less than approximately 0.5 inches. In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises a chunking step before the first grinding step, a screening step additionally comprising a washing step, a flaking step before the second grinding step, and/or a sifting step after the second grinding step. A sifting step is useful for, but not limited to, producing material comprising a more uniform size.
The present invention also comprises a press method of making a composite material. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: providing a frame; loading natural material and plastic into the frame; and applying heat and pressure to the natural material and plastic in the frame. According to a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises a step of removing the composite material from the frame after the applying step, a step of inserting a forming box into the frame, and/or a step of adjusting the packing of the natural material and plastic before the applying step.
In a preferred embodiment, the applying step comprises applying heat to reach a temperature of at least approximately 300xc2x0 F. and/or the applying step comprises applying a pressure of at least approximately 4 psig. In a preferred embodiment, the applying step comprises applying heat to reach a temperature of approximately 400xc2x0 F. and/or the applying step comprises applying a pressure of approximately 8 psig.
The present invention also comprises an extrusion method of making composite material. According to a preferred embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: feeding natural material and plastic into an extruder; heating the natural material and plastic in the extruder; and extruding composite material comprising the natural material and plastic from the extruder. In a preferred embodiment, the extruding step comprises extruding composite material onto a film. In another preferred embodiment, the method further comprises a step of rolling extruded composite material between two rollers and/or a step of cooling extruded material.
The present invention also comprises a method of making composite material comprising the steps of: processing natural material; and making composite material comprising natural material and plastic wherein making comprises at least one method selected from the group consisting of press methods and extrusion methods.
A primary object of the present invention is to produce a wood and plastic composite material.
A primary advantage of the present invention is economy of preparation of wood and plastic raw materials and production of a composite material comprising the same.
Other objects, advantages and novel features, and further scope of applicability of the present invention will be set forth in part in the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.